Space to romp for pandas at River Safari

Space to romp for pandas at River Safari

NATURALISTIC: The Giant Panda Forest will be home to two pandas arriving here next month. ( PHOTOS:STRAITS TIMES) Credit : Chan Choong Han

Giant pandas Kai Kai and Jia Jia will be housed in a giant forested enclosure when they arrive in Singapore next month from Chengdu in China.

Called the Giant Panda Forest, the $8.6-million enclosure at the upcoming River Safari is 1,500 sq m in size, or about that of 20 Housing Board three- room flats.

This is much bigger than the enclosure for pandas An An and Xin Xing, which were on display for 100 days at the Singapore zoo in 1990, said Mr Melvin Tan, director of horticulture at Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

The Giant Panda Forest will be kept at a cool 18-22 deg C.

It is designed to simulate the pandas' natural habitat, with features - such as bamboo and waterfalls - to allow the pandas to explore, climb and swim.

Space has also been set aside for a nursery, should the two pandas mate and produce offspring in the future. Kai Kai and Jia Jia are four and three years old, respectively, and will be in Singapore for 10 years.

Visitors will be able to have close, unobstructed views of the pandas from an elevated boardwalk running through the exhibit.

While pandas tend to prefer cooler environments, they will be able to roam in two outdoor sections of the enclosure, which the public will also be able to view.

Kai Kai and Jia Jia are scheduled to arrive here on Thursday, but visitors will have to wait until December to catch a glimpse of them.

~News courtesy of Omy~